Campuses & Multi-Building Properties
Campuses & multi-building properties rely on energy to meet a variety of uses and needs.
Whether you oversee a college campus, a healthcare campus, a business park, or a multifamily housing complex, managing multiple buildings on a single property entails navigating a multitude of energy uses.
Discover how clean energy solutions can help you simplify your operations, reduce your operating expenses, and meet a wide variety of diverse building uses.
How You Benefit
- Reduce energy costs, freeing up capital for system and equipment investments
- Improve reliability and resilience while reducing downtime of your critical systems
- Reduce maintenance time and costs and extend the lifespan of your equipment
- Enhance your reputation as a committed sustainability leader
- Reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a cleaner and healthier community
Key Energy Saving Opportunities
1. Resource Efficient Electrification
Decarbonizing buildings in a cold climate like New York requires a novel approach. With the help of industry-leading resources, you can plan your path toward a carbon neutral building portfolio by adopting an incremental methodology and integrated design process combined with strategic capital planning.
Learn more about Resource Efficient Electrification
2. High-Efficiency Lighting Design
Energy-efficient lighting can create a safer, more productive environment and save money — regardless of the building type. In comparison to conventional lighting options, high-efficiency lighting uses less energy, costs less to operate, and can last much longer than traditional options—up to 25 years. You can also use controls and sensors on both indoor and outdoor lighting to increase safety and save even more.
Learn more about high-efficiency lighting
3. Ventilation System Upgrades
Effective ventilation has been proven to improve indoor air quality by controlling indoor humidity and airborne contaminants. Making ventilation system upgrades can also improve the comfort of your building and save money. For example, demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) systems automatically adjust your ventilation equipment to meet the needs of your building — and when you have multiple buildings, you have multiple ventilation needs. DCV systems can reduce ventilation when spaces are not occupied or are at lower than peak occupancy.
Learn more about ventilation systems
4. Clean Heating and Cooling Upgrades
Clean heating and cooling systems, including cold-climate air source heat pumps, ground source (geothermal) heat pumps, thermal energy networks, and heat pump water heaters make it possible to keep your occupants comfortable year-round, save energy, and reduce your carbon footprint. Unlike conventional HVAC systems, heat pumps draw heat from the environment and move it indoors to heat or move it outdoors to cool your buildings. Heat pumps are well-suited for the operational complexities of campuses and multi-building properties, including high occupancies, fluctuating usage schedules, and variable heating and cooling requirements that are difficult to meet efficiently with conventional systems. Larger campuses and multi-building properties can consider installing community heat pumps systems to serve multiple buildings, helping you save even more.
Learn more about clean heating and cooling
5. Solar
Declining costs and long-term savings potential make solar energy a smart business decision for campuses and multi-building properties. You can capitalize on financial opportunities to either install solar onsite or participate in a community solar project—a collective array of panels installed at an off-site location. Community solar subscribers receive electric bill credits for the clean energy produced from their portion of the project. By going solar, you can lower your operating costs through reduced electricity bills and contribute to a cleaner, healthier community.
Campus & Multi-Building Property Programs & Resources
NYSERDA supports campuses and owners of multi-building properties in improving their energy efficiency. Programs are available from NYSERDA to help identify and implement energy efficient opportunities for your building operations and campus capital improvement projects.
- Clean Green Campuses: Connects institutions of higher education to exclusive funding opportunities and advisory services to advance clean energy and low-carbon solutions.
- Clean Green Schools Initiative: Provides professional services and funding to help public P-12 schools invest in clean energy infrastructure improvements.
- FlexTech Program: Complete an energy study of your building, with NYSERDA cost-share support, to identify and evaluate opportunities to reduce energy costs and incorporate clean energy into capital planning.
- Multifamily Building Programs: Provides multifamily building owners with multiple paths to make energy-efficient upgrades and manage energy usage at their properties.
- Onsite Energy Manager: Offers a 75 percent cost-share for industrial and commercial facilities or buildings to hire a dedicated full-time or part time on-site energy manager.
You Might Also Be Interested In
Campuses and multi-building properties can improve their bottom line and futureproof their operations by reducing energy use and adopting clean technologies. Consider maximizing campus energy saving strategies with additional cost-effective energy investments, including:
- Community Heat Pumps Pilot Program: Learn how community thermal energy networks can address the heating and cooling needs of campuses and multi-building properties.
- Education: Explore guidance specific to colleges, universities, and schools.
- Electric Vehicles & Charging Stations: Converting your fleet and installing charging infrastructure can reduce costs and attract a growing customer base of EV drivers.
- Energy Storage: Use energy storage technologies to create a continuous, reliable supply of energy for your new building.
- Healthcare: Explore energy guidance and resources specific to healthcare facilities.
- Multifamily: Explore energy guidance and resources specific to multifamily housing properties.
For a full list of programs, visit our energy programs and incentives page.
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